


but I always thought you'd come back

by ficsandchill



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is Whipped, Light Angst, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT) is Whipped, Mutual Pining, Reminiscing, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:09:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26654944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ficsandchill/pseuds/ficsandchill
Summary: Donghyuck is jealous of the rain,that falls upon Mark's skin.It's closer than his hands have been.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40





	but I always thought you'd come back

**Author's Note:**

> just a heads up:  
> this fic pingpongs between a phone conversation and a few series of flaskbacks.
> 
> and yes! the title and summary is based on the song jealous by labrinth hehe
> 
> It's a bit different from those works I've written but
> 
> let me know what do you guys think, enjoy! ♡

"Reallyyyyy?" Mark said with rising tone over the phone, the beginning of an amused smile on his lips.

"For real," Donghyuck chuckles.  
  


**///**

The crowd is gathering to witness as the game takes place. The crowd is a mix of people in their respective house color shirts, yellow, blue, green and red. A pair of eyes in a red shirt, in the crowd, discreetly lands on Mark's standing figure, who is at the start line of the long jump track. Mark is doing little jumps in place to warm up, wiggling his hands. Then the referee signals that he can starts now, suddenly the crowd in red shirts starting to chant Mark's name, which makes Mark smiles shyly, sets his eyes on the ground before looking forward again and has the nerve to blush. But Donghyuck finds him so infuriating adorable and he does not at all doubt the others feel the same too.

The referee assistant at the end of the track raises the white flag, indicating that it's time for Mark to make the jump. Mark heaves out a breathe, before he slowly takes a few steps forward, gaining momentum and speed when he reaches the middle. The crowd turns into an uproar as Mark literally flies as he takes the jump, Donghyuck's heart is at his throat, _please, please, please._ Then Mark lands, to the very end, that he nearly somersaults his way out of the sand that acts as an absorbent to soften his land. The crowd goes wild again and applauds him. Mark has this tiny proud smile on his face as he looks back to where the assistant is measuring his distance. The same proud smile mirrors on Donghyuck's.

Donghyuck's heart is doing all kinds of flip. Front flips, back flips, side flips? All of them, as he spent these three days witnessing Mark acing every one of the game he partakes. Being the last runner for track running, it's unfair how handsome he still looks sprinting for the first place, face relaxed as if it was nothing. Football, now this is just ridiculous because he looks hot chasing a fucking ball like what the hell. And when he runs his hand through his jet black hair in between the games? Lethal. A fucking menace. Donghyuck hates him for it. Donghyuck really do, that explains why he is paying up the cashier for the banana milk that he wants to give to Mark, anonymously. Mark looked really proud of himself just now but also very tired, he cannot allow that. Not on his watch.

As he makes his way, the screws in his head spinning, working to figure out who he should pass it to, without outing that he is the one who gives it. Until he bumps into Jeno, who happens to look relieved as their eyes meet, like he has been looking for Donghyuck. Jeno's eyes land on the thing in Donghyuck's hand, quirking his eyebrows up, "You don't like banana milk." as he eyes Donghyuck. Donghyuck stays still as he is sure he is caught. They stare at each other, before Donghyuck sighs defeatedly, "FIne, you caught me. I wanna give it to Mark." Jeno's eyes shoots up and gasp excitedly but is cut short, before Jeno could say anything else by Donghyuck, "anonymously." 

Jeno's smile turns to a scowl in a split second, "No, you won't. What's the point of giving it anonymously to Ma-" Donghyuck shoves his free hand to Jeno's mouth to shut him up, "Hush! Be cool, Jeno! Damn, you really want everyone to know, is it?" He says exasperatedly. Jeno harshly shoves the hand away, rolling his eyes, "and here I thought, you would finally be brave. I was so proud for a sec you know?" "Just respect my choice, okay? Shut up, oh my god." Donghyuck moves pass Jeno, only for Jeno to tail behind him. Donghyuck picks up his pace only for Jeno to do the same, Donghyuck whines frustratedly but lets Jeno be. Donghyuck eyes the crowd in search for his target to be his personal pigeon post. 

Jeno follows wordlessly as he studies Donghyuck before he said gently, "I don't get it, I confidently bet my lunch for a whole month that he has feelings for you. What's the need to complicate this?" Which makes Donghyuck stops abruptly in his track, Jeno woud bump into his back if he wasn't fast enough. Jeno sees from behind, how Donghyuck takes a deep breath in, and let it out as slowly. He turns to Jeno, "Mark is Mark. And I am.." he pauses, darting his eyes elsewhere for a moment, trying to find the right word, shifting his eyes back to Jeno to continue, "Me. Okay? Now, just let me be." Jeno eyes turn sad at this, wanting to argue but Donghyuck holds up his hand. "No, Jeno." Jeno stays quiet as he sees Donghyuck turning seriously upset at this. But he lets out what he thinks anyway, "I just don't you to hurt yourself like this."

Donghyuck feels a pang to his heart at this. He eyes the banana milk in his right hand, then looks at Jeno.

Donghyuck takes out the straw and punches it into the hole then slurps the content in one go to finish it, Jeno eyes widen at the sudden shift of event. "You don't even like banana milk!" Donghyuck tossing the empty, crushed cartoon into the nearest bin, "Happy now?" he asks Jeno sarcastically. "Not exactly what I want to happen but whatever." Jeno said half-heartedly, but he hugs Donghyuck from behind, before Donghyuck could get away and softly whisper, "I'm sorry." Donghyuck whines and hums in acknowledgement before he wiggles out of Jeno's hold and walks away as if nothing happened. Jeno is quick to catch up with him.

**///**

Chuckles still in his voice, Donghyuck continues, "I didn't do it because of Jeno." he spares the details of why exactly he didn't give the banana milk. Just the fact that Jeno distrupted the plan.

Mark hums thoughtfully. "What you didn't know is," He takes a moment and smiles, Donghyuck can hear it in his voice, "Every time, during the games, I thought of you watching me to motivate me to win."

"MARK, SHUT UP." Mark laughs heartily at Donghyuck's response.

Mark waits for Donghyuck to stop the weird noises he's making before he continues, "I have a story too, you know?"

**///**

It's lunch break and the small mini market inside school is crowded. The school lets few of the students run the mini market themselves and Mark just happens to be one of them, courtesy of Yukhei dragging him along. It's kinda fun plus he gets paid for doing this. Not to mention, Yukhei said him being there in addition with Yukhei himself, attract students to come more which Mark scoffs at how ridiculous that is. But it's nice, and the students aren't allowed to come in, just them queueing in front of the partition wall with windows talking up half the wall for them to deal the shop and buy at. So the members inside can move freely and stock the items peacefully.

As Mark is pulling out a box of new cartoons of juice from the shelf, he heard this voice which has the ability to shake his heart up and shakes his heart up it does. Almost dropping the heavy box down as the voice said "Can I have the pig bar ice cream, please?" to Yukhei at the front, serving. Thankfully Mark is fast enough to recover and did not drop the box and embarrass himself. He sets the box down where he should stock them up and lifts his head to the direction of the voice, only for the owner to say a (cute) tiny "Thank you." to Yukhei and left. Mark only has the chance to see the back of his head before he disappears. Donghyuck is early today. He is one of the most frequent people to come. Not that Mark notices. Okay, maybe he did. Even when he spots Jeno, his heart makes this fluttering feeling that overtakes his body. Giddy in anticipation because when there's Jeno, there will always be Donghyuck. Those two are attached at the hip.

He frowns a little that he missed his opportunity to discreetly check Donghyuck out today. Yukhei having notice that Mark froze at his spot beside where he should be stocking up, "You okay?" which puts Mark back to reality. "Yea, yea. I'm cool." As he stocks up wordlessly.

**///**

"So you didn't notice? Thank god, I was sure I lost my cool in front of you that day." Mark exclaims, sighs dramatically.

Donghyuck hurriedly adds after he calms down from laughing too much, "Wait, I use the same formula too!"

"Huh? formula?"

"Yea, whenever I see Yukhei, I tell myself, ahh Mark must be here too."

"HYUCK, SHUT UP!" It's Mark time to lose it this time, laughing.

"Honestly, why are fetus us so cute?" Donghyuck said adoringly. A thought, a memory makes itself known in Donghyuck's head and he snorts at it. Mark knowing him so well, asks, "What is it this time?"

**///**

The bell rings indicating it is the end of recess. Donghyuck skipping to his class then to his desk merrily. It is his birthday, and it started out so nice as people seem to remember his birthday and even his desk was full of surprise gifts, some even from anonymous senders. He made a mental note to remember the birthdays of those who gave him gifts. What he didn't expect is for his desk to be full of gifts the second time today, he rummages it quickly to see who sent each gift before the teacher arrives but his mind short circuited as he eyes land on a particular scribble, once he opens a card attached on a chocolate bar, _From:_ _Mark._

He takes another look at the front of the card, there's a drawing of a cake with the amount of candles of his exact age, that it doesn't fit on the top of the cake so the genius artist of the cake decided to draw the remaining candles on the each side of the cake. Donghyuck snickers at the ridiculous drawing but before he could turn and inform Jeno. The teacher is already stepping inside and in front of the class.

He then lets Jeno read the card after the teacher left the class. Jeno chuckles as well at the drawing, Donghyuck carefully looks at the card in Jeno's hand, "I don't get it Jeno, I thought he only liked me for 3 days?" he says slowly, he was honestly shocked that Mark gave him a present. No scratch that, he didn't even expect Mark to remember his birthday. Ahh, the 3 days. Donghyuck remembers it all too well, how one of his friends said this to him that Mark himself said to his friend. It hurt, Donghyuck went to Jeno the first thing after he heard that, it hurts him that Mark sees him fit to only be liked for a short amount of time. 3 days. And so it begins, Donghyuck consoling himself that it's time to get over his crush on Mark and sees him platonically. Because obviously, all of this pining is going nowhere.

Jeno looks thoughtful as well but Donghyuck adds himself, "He must be fond of being friends with me, I guess." Donghyuck brushes off the flutters in his heart, reminding himself, _3 days, Donghyuck._ Jeno's eyes turn soft at Donghyuck's response, opening his mouth as if to protest but closes it back. Settling to just hum in reply, because he too remembers how sad Donghyuck was when he went to Jeno about the 3 days thing.

Donghyuck makes a mental note to give Mark a gift as well for his upcoming birthday.

**///**

Donghyuck chuckles, "Okay this is so stupid but remember how you once left a note and a bar of chocolate under my table for my birthday?"

"Yea, of course."

"Okay, well.." Donghyuck makes a tsk sound before he continues, "I appreciated it way too much so I kept it for a long time, and when I wanted to eat it, it has already expired." 

"Awh! that's so sweet Hyuck." Mark coos gently. "I know, I am the sweetest." Donghyuck replies, sighing. Mark scoffs at this before he snickers.

After Mark recovers, "Oh, also remember how you gave me a card and chocolate too in the same year?" Donghyuck hums in acknowledgement. "It made me so happy, you have no idea. I still keep the card and the gift wrap. No one knows about my crush on you so I kept it to myself, which honestly makes it even harder to move on from you."

"Yea, no shit. I have no idea you had a crush on me. Not after I heard you once said you only liked me for 3 days."

"What?" Mark scrunches his eyebrows in confusion, even if Donghyuck can't see him through the phone. "Who told you that? I remember clearly that I've liked you for as long as I could remember."

Donghyuck pouts in thought, "I think it was your friend then they said it to my friend and my friend said it to me." Mark stays quiet for a while, "Ah, I think it's because I was embarrassed at how they were teasing me so I lied."

Donghyuck didn't spare a second as he gasps and replies, "because of your dishonesty, I forced myself to move on. We could be such a powerful and cunning couple, Mark!" Mark bursts out laughing at this, "Yeah, damn, we sure would, Hyuck." Mark exhales. Donghyuck just laughs because he didn't expect Mark to agree with his ridiculous jabs.

"Also," Mark readjusts himself on the chair, fingers circling the top of his drink, "I still remember the first time I saw you, we were in the same club in school but you had just transferred to our school that time because I didn't remember seeing you around during the past gathering. I took like a double, triple look on you the first time I saw you and I asked another member, who you were. I think that was the time I started harbouring feelings for you." Mark smiles fondly at the memory, "It spirals from there because the one I asked, Yangyang seems to be close with you so I always got my infos about you from him, it was not like I asked. He just seems to like to talk about you to me?" 

Donghyuck sighs in disbelief, "Who would have thought, it has been how many years? 7 years right?"

"Yea, seven-ish I think. The most crazy thing about my disgusting crush on you is I've never told anyone, not even Yukhei. It's crazy to think the only person I would actually tell this to is my crush himself." Donghyuck snorts, "Hush, Mark. You're so corny. Only I am allowed to be corny." But a fond smile evident on Donghyuck's face, then he continues, "Also very crazy to think that I am the one who sets you up with Hendery. And in a month, you guys are getting married." "Yeah, crazy."

They stay in a comfortable silence over the phone, both letting all the confessions shared sink in.

A rustling sound comes from Donghyuck line over the phone, as Donghyuck adjusts himself to a sitting position before he asks Mark, "Has the storm starting to calm down yet?" Mark shifts his eyes over the windows, from inside the cafe he and Donghyuck promised to meet. "Not really, I think I have to stay here for an hour or so." Even the short trip from his car on the parking spot to the cafe, had Mark nearly soaked with rain, despite him using the umbrella.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't make it, my place is having like this crazy shitstorm. Even my closed sliding doors making loud whistling sounds, please pray that it wouldn't fly off or something." "No, it's okay Donghyuck, it's not like you can control the weather anyway." Mark brings up the cup of his caramel latte, now lukewarm, to his lips and takes a few sips.

"But still, you already there," Mark heard him shuffling around over the line, maybe Donghyuck has gotten up to check his sliding doors, but Donghyuck continues saying, "But hey, don't worry, my friends' band is still on for your wedding. Just a shame that we don't get a chance to hang out before you move away this weekend."

Mark hums in acknowledgement, "Thank you, Hyuck." Mark swipes a tissue to his mouth, biting parts of his bottom lips before he lets out, "You kinda dodged a bullet with me back then though, don't you think?" Mark smiles a little when he hears Donghyuck's offended scoff. "Don't talk about yourself like that Mark, it's not funny. You know that I cherish you." Mark feels choked up at how easy Donghyuck wears his heart on his sleeves to him now, "I cherish you too, Hyuck."

Mark stares at the harsh pouring rain outside, "You know, before I graduated from school, I always thought 'could we still be friends in the future?' like I was wondering why the hell was I so shy to you back then. But the last year I was there, we kinda get along right?"

"Yea, I was shy to you too, you know? But the 3 days thing absolutely made me stay composed around you." "The hell dude, I'm gonna kill whoever started spreading the 3 days thing!" Mark hisses and Donghyuck snickers because he purposely brings that up again because he's feeling a little petty okay.

Their hearts swell at the thought. In a way, it's kinda cruel for fate to play them like this, like just a bunch of puppets, both yearning and longing for the other in the longest time but not having a clue at all that it's reciprocated. It's easy to blame it on fate, on destiny. It's tempting to question the what ifs, what if just one thing had been different, would everything be different today? But they're both older and wiser now, it's unspoken but both accepting with how things turn out. At peace with the fact that sometimes people come in your life, touches you in places that aren't visible to the eyes, but not stay. And that's okay. Doesn't make it any less meaningful, any less true. It is still love.

"So," Mark continues, "I guess I'll see you at the wedding, right?" "Yeah, I guess." Donghyuck says.

A beat of silence and Mark deliberately says, "You can always turn to me for anything, you know that right, Hyuck?" _I will always have a soft spot for you, Hyuck._

"I know." Donghyuck smiles, has the decency to not tease Mark because he is touched at how sincere Mark sounds, "You can always turn to me too, Mark." _I will always have a soft spot for you too, Mark._

"Okay," Mark smiles too, "Take care, Hyuck." "Take care too, Mark."

And the line ends.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry that this doesn't end up with them being together.
> 
> This is actually based on my personal recent event, this year alone, 2 of my friends came to me to say they had feelings for me in the past and I spent hours just talking to them, reminiscing. They're both happily in relationship now. 
> 
> and I just want to write one based on them, in a way to let it go but I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
